Pellet Gun Victim Shot at Hotel Needs Surgery

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BEACHWOOD, Ohio -- The Orange Village Police Department identified the man accused of shooting a woman with a pellet gun in a hotel parking lot as David Fields, 59, of Cleveland.

Fields will be charged with felonious assault and aggravated robbery among other charges.

He was released in January and is on parole after serving 30 years in prison for aggravated murder and has been arrested in the past for offenses such as armed robbery, receiving stolen property and grand theft auto.

Multiple police departments responded to the Courtyard Marriott Hotel on Orange Place on Thursday morning, where Fields reportedly shot a random 50-year-old woman with a pellet gun.

He then grabbed her purse and ran to his car at the Courtyard Marriott where he locked his keys in his own Jeep Cherokee, got frustrated and banged on his windows setting off his own alarm. That's when he bolted across the street and hid behind the Fairfield Inn.

The woman ran inside and was helped by Marriott employees. She was taken by helicopter to MetroHealth Medical Center. She is expected to be OK, but needs surgery to remove the pellets from her temple.

In a 911 call, a hotel employee can be heard giving instructions to lock the doors. The man then describes the woman's condition to the dispatcher, saying she was conscious and laying on the hotel's lobby floor.

Law enforcement officials say dozens of officers and K9s searched for the suspect, who was quickly found hiding in the snow. His pellet gun was found nearby.

The woman's purse and the $100 cash that was taken was returned to her.

Courtyard Marriott General Manager Richard Somsak released the following statement Thursday regarding the shooting:

"We can confirm there was an incident earlier this morning involving police activity at the hotel. As soon as we were made aware of the situation we contacted the local authorities. The police responded right away. The police have reported they have apprehended the suspect and that they believe this to be an isolated incident. The victim was not a registered guest of the hotel. The safety and security of our guests and employees is a top priority. The hotel is open and operating business as usual. The police are currently investigating the matter and we will continue to assist and cooperate with their investigation."